RDC directs CAO to punish absentee health workers, late comers after finding only two staff at hospital

RDC Budaka Mr. Tom Chesol has directed the Chief administrative officer Budaka Mr. Elly Piwang to take punitive action against health workers who absentee themselves from duty.

The RDC made the directive on Wednesday shortly after carrying out his impromptu fact-finding monitoring operation to various health facilities in Katira, Kameruka, and Kererekeren health center threes.

The RDC was responding to public outcry over acute late coming and absentees of health workers mainly at Katira and Kameruka sub-counties who had abandoned their offices to attend their private clinics.

The RDC said the majority of the health workers have been dodging and absconding from work under the guise of government Covid 19 directive that only 20% of staff be on duty.

Patients were left to be attended by the potters and internship students.

During an inspection at Kerekeren health center, although all the 10 staff had signed in the arrival book,  only two were found at the facility.

Others had only signed the arrival book and disappeared to unknown.

A 78-year-old Marita Nakirya who was sited miserably at kerekeren health center said she had not been attended to four despite coming early morning.

Flanked by the Area councilor Mr. David Mbayo, the RDC noted that it was regrettable that many health workers had not reported to their workplace by 10 am leaving patients stranded at the verandas waiting for services.

The RDC further directed the CAO to summon Mr. Wafula Aus the Katira sub-county chief to explain why the sub-county offices were locked up to 11 am without any officer at the facility.

The RDC said such officers should account for their actions as this contravenes good service delivery that the NRM manifesto is embedded.

In the same operation, the RDC took time to inspect the Kameruka mini irrigation project under the ministry of water and environment and advised farmers to use the available resources to diversify their production especially in short time crops which bring a lot of value.

‘’As government shall be working closely with relevant stakeholders to ensure that we lobby the ministry as we focused on restoring wetlands we should ensure that which tangible projects can be used by the communities as an alternative livelihood’’ he said.

Mbayo, the area councilor applauded the RDC for taking up the initiative saying for them they could try but health workers could underrate them.